Expecting the Miraculous Testimony of Jesus

The following passage is taken from Charles Spurgeon, speaking in the Royal Surrey Gardens in London on July 17, 1859:

When people hear about what God used to do, one of the things they say is: “Oh, that was a very long while ago.” They imagine that times have altered since then. 

Says one: “I can believe anything about the Reformation–the largest accounts that can possibly be given, I can take in.” 

“And so could I concerning Whitefield and Wesley,” says another, “all that is quite true, they did labour vigorously and successfully, but that was many years ago. Things were in a different state then from what they are now.” 

Granted; but I want to know what the things have to do with it. I thought it was God that did it. Has God changed? Is He not an immutable God, the same yesterday, today and for ever? Does not that furnish an argument to prove that what God has done at one time He can do at another? 

I think I may push it a little further, and say what He has done once, is a prophecy of what He intends to do again–that the mighty works which have been accomplished in the olden time shall all be repeated, and the Lord’s song shall be sung again in Zion, and He shall again be greatly glorified.

Others among you say, “Oh, well I look upon these things as great wonders and miracles. We are not to expect them every day.” 

That is the very reason why we do not get them. If we had learnt to expect them, we should no doubt obtain them, but we put them up on the shelf, as being out of the common order of our moderate religion, as being mere curiosities of Scripture history. We imagine such things, however true, to be wonders of providence; we cannot imagine them to be according to the ordinary working of His mighty power.
____________________________

The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10).
 
Charles Spurgeon had a revelation. We obtain what we expect. The Hebrew word for testimony means “to do it again.” That is the purpose of a testimony—to share what God has done so He can do it again. The miracle someone has experienced is the testimony of Jesus. It must be expected to happen again. Charles Spurgeon got this. But do we get this? Will we, the church, ever see miracles as the ordinary working of God’s power? If only the church had heard Charles Spurgeon’s revelation in 1859! Perhaps it would be living a totally different reality now.

If you want to change the atmosphere in a room, share your personal testimony of God’s deliverance—not for your benefit, but to invite the Holy Spirit so He can change the atmosphere.

People love hearing the stories of what Jesus has done for others. They are captivated with them. Every story shared gives a glimpse of Jesus through the eyes of one who has been redeemed. They catch another revelation of His grace. 

Our testimonies are the record of a God who chooses to work through people who aren’t perfect. He just looks for people who value Him and will give Him an opportunity to do what He does best. He works in the impossible. 

In Mark 8:17-18, the disciples were bewildered by the challenge Jesus had given them to provide food they didn’t have to a huge hungry crowd. He asked them, “Do you not see? Do you not hear? Do you not remember?” God asks us the same. Sometimes, I don’t see what He’s doing. Other times I can’t hear what He’s saying. But there is one thing I can always do. I can remember what’s He’s done. That I can do!

The things I remember God has done in my life before, He’s in the process of doing now.  I may not see or hear clearly, but remembering what the Lord has done tells me that He’s doing it again.

Signs and wonders are meant to be ordinary occurrences as they were in the days of the early church. But we don’t see miracles everyday because we don’t expect them.

Heather Bowden posted on Facebook yesterday: “If you live a life of expectancy, whether they're good, bad or neutral you get what you expect. I live expecting blessings and I receive blessings upon blessings. Change your expectations and watch God work.”

If we want to see the miraculous in our lives, we must stop seeing it as rare. We must change our vision to believe and expect it. What God has done in the past, He’s in the process of doing now. If I’ll change my expectation, I’ll see God move miraculously. This is my journey. I’m expecting the miraculous testimony of Jesus.